


The Curse of the Fiery Fever

by Crossovers_and_Randomness



Series: Beyond the Universe [7]
Category: Doctor Who (2005), Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Burning alive, Burns, Fever, Fire, Gen, Multiverse, medieval times
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-07
Updated: 2020-05-07
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:35:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 12,932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24063694
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crossovers_and_Randomness/pseuds/Crossovers_and_Randomness
Summary: The Doctor and Rey step out of the TARDIS and find themselves in the medieval times. But when they meet a young girl whose father has contracted a mysterious fever, they discover a sinister plot that could endanger all of humanity.
Series: Beyond the Universe [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1734793
Kudos: 4





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so I'm re-posting this from FFN. I wrote and posted this story over a year ago. So as much as it may seem like it's inspired by...um...current events, it's really not haha.

“Well? Where do you think we landed this time?” The Doctor leaned back against the console, his hands stuffed in his pockets, grinning. “Want to take a guess? Maybe another planet, somewhere on the edge of the universe. She likes to drop us on the edge of the universe. Maybe somewhere on Earth again? Hopefully not in space. I _really_ don’t like opening the doors and nearly falling out…” 

“Doctor.” Rey shook her head and shot the Doctor a humorous glare. “I think you forgot I’m not from this universe.”

“Oh. Right. Do tend to forget these things.” He was across the room in a few bounds, throwing open the doors. “Welcome to…” He paused, looking around. “The forest of…somewhere.” 

“A forest?” A grin twitched at her lips and she darted past him, BB8 on her heels. She loved forests, the way the trees faded into peaceful shadows, the way the sun flickered through the leaves, the _green._ There was so much green.

Her feet crunched on leaves and she skidded to a stop to look around.

Bare trunks surrounded her, their leafless branches stretching toward a slate-grey sky. The forest floor was brown with dead leaves, and the air had a bite to it that made her shove her hands in her pockets and wish for something warmer than the thin coat the Doctor had called a hoodie. 

She wrinkled her nose slightly. Maybe she didn’t like _every_ forest. 

The Doctor stepped to her side and looked around. “Ooh, looks like winter. Smells like…” He sniffed and frowned. “Hmm, smells like an Earth forest, but I can’t _quite_ —”

A twig-snap brought Rey’s hand to her side, where her lightsaber hung at her waist. She whirled, her eyes scanning the trees.

A small form emerged from between the trunks. A girl, about eight years old, wearing a ragged dress and stained apron, a torn shawl clutched around her thin shoulders. Dirty blonde hair was pulled back into two braids and tied with twine. 

The girl tilted her head to the side. “Who are you?”

Rey felt her heart tugged toward the girl, with her blue eyes that looked too large in her thin face. She knew that look—it was the look of a hungry, lonely peasant girl.

Rey wished she had some food to give her. 

“I’m Rey.” She stepped forward, trying to meet the girl’s gaze. “What’s your name?”

“I’m Anne.” The girl looked away and seemed to pull into herself. “You’re strange.” 

“That we are!” The Doctor grinned. “Not the first time I’ve heard that.” He dropped to a crouch before the girl and held out his hand. “I’m the Doctor, by the way. Nice to meet you, Anne.”

She looked up at him, large blue eyes growing even larger. “A doctor?” Her lips parted slightly and the fear written across her face turned to wonder, and—almost—hope. “You’re a doctor?”

The Doctor grinned. “Yep!”

She looked away. “Father’s got a fever.” Her voice wavered slightly. “A terrible fever. Maybe you can help?” 


	2. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ehehehe I love writing the Doctor lol

“So I’m guessing somewhere in the Medieval period, based on the clothing style of our guide.” The Doctor sauntered along behind Anne as she led them through a barely-visible trail in the winter woods. “Maybe…1300s? 1400s? It all runs together…”

“Medieval?” Rey stuffed her hands in her pockets and pulled the hood of her coat up over her head. The cold air stung her face. “When…”

“Oh, right. Well, it’s before the Revolution. Late 1700s, that was the Revolution. After Atlantis. That was…you know, I don’t think we ever got a year on that one! But it seemed like somewhere around ancient Greece, so…”

Anne stopped and looked back at them, her head tilted to the side. “What are you talking about?”

“Oh, nothing. Just…Doctor things.”

“Doctor things.” Anne blinked. “Very well.” She turned back and continued down the trail.

The Doctor raised an eyebrow. “Well,” he said, glancing sideways at Rey. “That was easy. It’s never that easy.” He glanced around. “Nice little trail you have here, Miss Anne.” 

“Thank you sir, but it’s not mine,” Anne said matter-of-factly. “The men of the village made it.”

“Well, wasn’t that nice of them.” The Doctor cleared his throat. “And, uh, what village would that be?”

“It’s Flamewell, sir.” The little girl shoved aside a branch that flopped over the trail. “Come along, this way.”

The branch fell back into place, nearly slapping the Doctor in the legs. He reached to push it aside—and paused, still absently holding the branch, frowning and staring off into the trees.

“Uh, Doctor?” Rey tried to meet his gaze. “What’s…”

“Now that _is_ strange…” He stepped off the trail and crunched through the leaves, slipping on his glasses. He stopped by a tree, blackened as if it had been burned.

Rey followed him. “Doctor…?”

“Why would _this_ tree be burned but none of the others?” He swiped his finger down the ash-crusted trunk and licked it. “Ash. Plain old ash. That’s…odd.”

Rey glanced around the forest. Bare winter branches crisscrossed the grey sky, and the underbrush was a tangle of brown and grey.

Except for this tree. Which was black.

“How could _one_ tree have burned, but not the others?” He dropped to a crouch, examining the ground around the trunk. “A little ash here, but no evidence of a forest fire. Seems controlled. Very controlled. Unnaturally controlled…”

A rustling in the leaves, and a small blonde head poked through the trees. “Are you coming?”

“Of course, of course, don’t mind me, just examining…the trees…” The Doctor jumped to his feet and was back on the trail in a few strides. “Now, you were saying…?”

She tilted her head to the side. “I wasn’t saying anything, sir?”

“Oh…right. Well…lead on.”

She continued to push her way through the underbrush, clearing away the overgrown trail like a determined little plough. A smile twitched at Rey’s lips as she watched her—she liked the girl’s pluck.

As they walked, the smell of ash and smoke seemed to permeate the forest. Rey wrinkled her nose against it and looked around. Besides that one burned tree, she hadn’t seen any other evidence of—oh. The more she looked, the more burned trees she saw, pillars of ash among the brown. Here and there, blackened underbrush poked out from the leaves, and a thin skim of ash covered the forest floor in places. 

A small clearing opened up before them. A ramshackle cottage sat at the edge, door and windows empty holes, no smoke drifting from the chimney. Ashy, burned trees poked blackened, twisted branches toward the grey sky. A thin layer of ash covered the logs of the little cottage, and everything smelled of fire and heat.

Rey was almost afraid a fire would burst up around her as she walked.

Anne picked up her skirts and took off at a run toward the open doorway, turning around just long enough to shout, “Come along! This is our home!” 

The Doctor was through the doorway in a few bounds, Rey a step behind him. Muted sunlight barely filtered through the windows and shadows draped the single room, the only light coming from a few flickering candles planted around the walls. A woman sat at the far end, her skirt and apron ragged and burn-stained, a torn shawl around her shoulders, her grey-streaked brown hair falling out of its bun as she leaned over a pile of ragged blankets.

A man lay on the blankets, and even in the half-light, Rey could see that his face was flushed red, his eyes closed and his breathing shallow. 

“Mama.” Anne ran forward and gave her skirt a tug. “Mama, I’ve brought a doctor.” 

She turned and stood, steadying herself on the wall, a candle clutched between her fingers. Her eyes fell on the two strangers in the doorway and something like wild fear overtook her, like a cornered animal. 

“Who are you?” Her voice wavered. “And what do you want with Richard?”

“I’m the Doctor.” He raised an eyebrow. “And I’m here to help?”

“Oh…oh, thank the Lord!” She took an unsteady step forward, a heavy limp nearly sending her off balance. “Can you do something for him?”

“Ah, well…” The Doctor cleared his throat. “What…what seems to be the problem?”

“It’s the fever.” She turned back to the man on the blankets, steadying herself on the wall. The candle flame flickered wildly, sending shadows dancing across the room. “It’s been two weeks, and it’s only gotten worse.”

The Doctor stepped forward and Rey followed a step behind. He dropped to his knees beside the pile of blankets, reaching to push back the man’s dark hair, which hung limp with sweat on his forehead.

He pulled back with a rather undignified yelp and gave his hand a shake before sticking his fingers in his mouth. Rey frowned and reached forward—

The man’s skin sizzled against her fingers like sun-heated metal. She jerked back with a little cry. “That’s not a normal fever!”

The Doctor shook his head. “No, that’shnot a—” He pulled his fingers from his mouth. “That’s _not_ a normal fever. Something’s wrong here.” His gaze darkened. “Something’s very wrong.” 


	3. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember how the people of Atlantis reacted to BB8? Yeah, this is how the people of medieval England react…

The Doctor leaned against the wall by the cot, his arms crossed, his serious gaze focused on the woman. “How long has he had this fever, did you say?”

“Two weeks, it’s been two weeks.” She twisted her apron between her fingers. “He came home two weeks ago with a fever and I thought it would go away but it hasn’t, and…and he can barely speak now, Doctor.” She looked away, hiding her face in shadow. “And when he does, it’s…it’s not him.”

“Not him?” The Doctor raised an eyebrow. “Ah, what do you mean by that?”

“It’s…his voice, it’s different, and…” She closed her eyes for a moment, her fingers clutching the candle, nearly digging into the wax. “And…and he says things like _it’s nearly complete_ and…and I’m afraid he’s possessed and there’s nothing a doctor can do about it!” Her voice was lanced with tears and when she looked up at the Doctor, her eyes glistened in the candlelight. “Save him, please! You’ve got to!”

“Oooh, possessed, hmm? Now that _is_ odd. Can you trace it back to anything? Any odd encounters in the last few weeks? Any strange presences? That’s usually how that kind of thing starts, strange presences—”

“Well, there was the fire…” She shook her head quickly. “But that’s not—”

“Nothing’s _not important._ ” He leaned forward, leveling her with a steady gaze. “Tell me about this fire.”

“It nearly burned our cottage down!” The words were almost a shout and Rey started a little at the fear and alarm in her voice. “We could have died and now one knows what started it, it just—started, and we lost half the forest and he got a fever and…”

“Okay okay okay so now we’re getting somewhere. A mysterious fire and then he got this fever.” The Doctor held up a finger. “One minute, I’m just going to check out the outside of the cottage here, see if I can find any evidence of…” He edged toward the door, his voice growing muffled as he stepped outside. 

Rey just stood in the doorway for a moment, staring at the man on the blankets. She could still feel the heat of his skin, sizzling against her finger. What did it feel like for him? Could he feel himself burning up?

“Miss Rey.” Rey looked down to see Anne tugging gently on the bottom of her hoodie. “Miss Rey, you look exhausted. Do you need food?”

“Oh—oh dear me, please forgive me.” The woman twisted her apron between her fingers and gave Rey and apologetic frown. “You’re over there like a little shadow and I haven’t offered to do a thing for you. Please sit down, miss, I’ll get you and your companion some food—”

Rey shook her head quickly. “No, no, I’m fine.” From the looks of the place, the little family hardly had enough to sustain themselves, and she couldn’t bear to take any of those meager supplies for herself when the TARDIS was but a short walk away. “Can I do anything? Anything at all? I think he needs…” She frowned. What did one do with fevers? Every species reacted different and on Jakku, you either kept going until you were better or you got shipped off to some medical facility somewhere—but that was only if you were especially important. Once, her arm had gotten infected, and she had wished she had more than just her small daily allotment of water to cool the fever that kept her up at night. “…a cool cloth, maybe?”

“No!” The word was almost a shout and Rey drew back as if slapped. “No, no, that hurts, he said it burns.”

“It…burns?” Rey frowned. Did the fever somehow reverse normal reactions to heat and cold? “Alright…but is there anything else I can…”

Leaves crunched in the doorway and Rey turned to see BB8 bumping inside, ash smeared across his round body. He let out a little curious beep and looked around the cottage.

The woman’s eyes widened and she stepped back. “What is that _thing?”_

“Oh, that’s my…uh…” She trailed off and frowned. The Doctor had said this was before the Revolution but after Atlantis. Did they not have droids yet, here? “My, uh, my companion.”

“C—companion?” Her eyes grew even wider and she edged backward. “You travel with a familiar of…of metal? Witchcraft!” She held her candle out as if it were a weapon. “Leave! Leave at once! Surely you bring foul luck!” 

Rey frowned. “Ma’am? He’s not dangerous, only a—”

“Get out! Get out, now, before you bring down a curse on us with your dark arts!” 

“Dark…arts…” Rey backed toward the door, just slightly. “Um, ma’am…”

The Doctor burst through the door, nearly knocking her over, his sonic screwdriver in his hand. The tip glowed blue and its familiar wobble was just fading. “It’s just ash, I can’t detect a trace of anything else!” He waved the sonic wildly at the woman. “If your husband here had picked up the fever from the fire, there must have been something—”

Her candle fell to the floor and she stomped the flame out. Where there had been fear, there was now anger. “You’re sorcerers, the both of you, toying with the dark arts and calling upon demons and evil spirits!” She turned to her daughter, her eyes hard. “How dare you bring such people into our home, Anne! They must leave at once, and you are never to do such a thing again!”

The Doctor raised an eyebrow. “Ma’am, I think you’ve got it all wrong here—”

She grabbed a poker from the fireplace and brandished it like a sword. “Leave at once,” she snapped. 

The Doctor held up both hands. “Alright, alright, we’re going.” He backed toward the door. “Rey, BB8…”

Rey followed the Doctor out the door, nudging BB8 to follow. As they started across the clearing, Rey glanced back to see the woman standing in the doorway, the poker still in her hands, glaring with a fierce intensity that burned as hot as her husband’s fever.

“Leave this village and never come back!” she shouted, her words echoing through the trees. 

Anne poked her head out the door, clinging to her mother’s skirts. And when she met Rey’s eyes, Rey thought she could see a little, sad smile. 


	4. Chapter 3

“Okay, so there’s this guy with some kind of odd fever and it’s somehow connected to the fire that nearly burned down the cottage.” The Doctor frowned, his hands stuffed in his pockets as he walked. “There’s something strange going on here, and if there’s anything I like doing, it’s getting to the bottom of strange things. So! Here’s the plan.” He glanced at Rey. “Yes, yes, me having a plan. Weird, I know. But! I’m thinking we try to find this village Miss Anne was talking about. There’s bound to be people there, and they can answer questions. I love a good bit of detective work.” 

“Alright, yeah. That sounds good.” Rey stuffed her hands in her pockets and stared at the ground in front of her. She could still feel the man’s sizzling-hot skin, see the fear in the woman’s eyes, the sadness in the little girl’s face as she had watched them go. Had they given her hope, only to have it dashed away when her mother had driven them out? 

She sighed. There had to be some way to help. There _had_ to be.

BB8 bumped along through the leaves beside them, his head downturned, his mechanical features strangely sad. He picked up more and more ash as he rolled, until he was nearly covered in black from the ash-dusted leaves. 

The forest seemed to thin around them and Rey looked up. Through the trees, Rey glimpsed houses and cobblestone streets.

A grin burst across the Doctor’s face. “Looks like we’ve found ourselves a village!” He took off at a run through the woods and Rey started after him with a sigh and a little laugh, BB8 crunching through the leaves behind her with a frantic beep.

They emerged from the trees into the little village. Thin grey sunlight shone over empty houses and empty streets, and their footsteps echoed through shadowy, silent alleys.

The Doctor skidded to a stop, and Rey nearly slammed into him from behind.

“Now, that _is_ odd.” He took a step forward, running a finger down the wall of the nearest building, a small shop with a broken sign and ash-smeared glass windows. His finger came away stained with black, and he just looked at it for a moment, eyes narrowed in a frown. “Anne mentioned the men of the village, and this place has obviously been occupied recently. It’s not a ruin, and it’s not falling apart.” He shoved his hands in his pockets and sauntered forward, looking around. “Maybe…a few months? It’s too clean. Too much is still standing…”

Rey leaned against the little shop and looked out over the village. Ash dusted the streets and blackened the roofs, and she thought she caught a whiff of smoke. She kicked lightly at the dirty cobblestones, and the motion seemed to echo. The silence was almost tangible, like a presence that pressed in on her.

It may have been only a few months, but it was the empty silence of a ruin.

She could almost hear the echoes of what had once been.

BB8 let out a little sad beep, and she wondered if he could hear it too. 

A light _tap_ echoed in the street beside her and she whirled, her hand flying to her lightsaber. A shadow moved and she backed away, toward the trees. An animal? A ruffian? Her fingers tightened on the hilt, ready to draw, one finger edging toward the button.

A hunched-over old woman emerged from the shadows, clutching a shawl about her scrawny shoulders.

Rey’s hand lowered. “Ma’am…” 

“Are you cursed?” The woman’s voice was high and shaky, with a hint of the same insane fear she had seen in Anne’s mother’s eyes. “Leave—leave!”

Rey frowned and took a step backward. “Um—cursed?” She nudged BB8 backward, hoping the little droid would pick up on her signal to go hide somewhere. Obviously the people here didn’t like him. “What do you mean?”

“The _curse!”_ Her hand darted forward and grabbed Rey by the arm. Rey let out a little yelp and tried to pull away, but her grip was almost clawlike. “Have you been stricken with the _curse?_ Leave! Leave now, before you die!” 


	5. Chapter 4

“And what curse would that be?” The Doctor’s voice behind Rey made her start and she turned to see him leaning against a nearby shop, hands in his pockets, a curious gaze trained on the woman. “This curse you keep mentioning, what exactly _is_ it? Some kind of…mm, some kind of fever maybe?”

“You! You’re just what it wants, too!” The woman pointed a shaking finger at the Doctor. “Leave now, both of you! Get out, or you’ll die!”

The Doctor raised an eyebrow. “Just what it wants, eh? And what’s that?”

“Young! Healthy!” She clutched at the shawl and looked away, her voice turning bitter. “The children, the old, the sick, oh, it doesn’t want _us._ We’re _safe._ ”

“This curse though—was I right about it being a fever? Yep, I can see it in your eyes, it’s the fever. The fever is the curse and the curse is the fever. So, it only…ooh, that _is_ odd.” He frowned. “Usually it’s the other way around. Now, what could have caused that? A fever that only strikes the healthy?” His lips quirked up in a grin and his eyes glinted with excitement. “Now that’s strange. And if there’s one thing I love, it’s strange things. So, tell me where this fever came from.”

“It’s a curse! Sorcery! Witchcraft!” The woman paced a few steps away, her hands shaking slightly. “A curse from the demons of hell!”

“Yep, got that. But how did it _start_?” He smirked. “In my experience, curses usually start with something odd happening. So, anything odd happen lately? Any strange presences or…or ooh, what’d you say about these _demons of hell?”_

“Yes!” Her voice lowered, and she glanced down the alley. “Demons! There’s been talk of them since the…”

The Doctor raised an eyebrow and fixed her with a steady gaze. “Since the what?”

“…since the fires began.” Her voice was low, shaking. “They started when the cold season came upon us, and they brought the demons. And then the fevers started.”

“Ooh, now we’re getting somewhere. Any idea what started the fires? Just appear out of nowhere, or…?”

She shook her head. “Nobody knows. All the young, the healthy, the smart ones who would know, they left.” She turned away, her face tight with bitterness. “They left us, the sick, the old, the _immune,_ to make a life for ourselves amid the ruins.”

“Ah, well.” The Doctor cleared his throat. “I’m, uh, I’m very sorry about that. Thanks for the interview, miss…what’s your name again?”

The old woman looked up, and suddenly her face softened. Rey noticed for the first time that her eyes were blue-green, almost the color of the depths of the sea. “Oh, well, dear me, nobody’s called me _miss_ for a very long time.” A hint of a smile played across her wrinkled face. “It’s Elizabeth, sir. And do…” She grabbed him by the sleeve, looking up, her eyes earnest and not half-crazy. “Do stay away from the clearing, I’m begging you. Take your girl and leave, before you suffer the fate of everyone before you.”

Both eyebrows shot up. “Clearing?” 

“Oh, you’re the type to go chasing recklessly after death, aren’t you.” She shook her head and stumped away. “I’ll not tell you, because you’ll go there, and you’ll take your girl with you, and I can’t stand to see such a nice, lovely young lady succumb to the curse. It changes you, I tell you, it changes you. Please sir, I’m begging you, leave now.”

“Yes, well…thanks, Miss Elizabeth.” The Doctor reached for Rey’s hand. “We’ll be going, then.” He started off down the road, nearly dragging Rey behind him.

She huffed and pulled her hand from his. “Doctor…”

He took off at a run. 

She sighed, shook her head, and followed.

“So, there’s fires, and a fever, and they’re connected with some kind of demon which is connected with a clearing somewhere.” The Doctor slowed a bit, but still jogged through the streets of the little village. The trees began to encroach again, and the houses thinned. “Now, the thing we need to do is find the clearing, I think that’s our first step, wouldn’t you say?” His feet crunched on leaves and the cobblestone streets faded into the forest. “I’m guessing it would be near town, somewhere, seeing as it seems to be so well known to the villagers. So, what we need to do is take a wide sweep in a circle around the village. It’s going to be something odd, something…possibly…oh. Ooooh.” His eyes widened and he pulled out his sonic, flipping it in the air and catching it. His fingers flew over the buttons and a wobble emanated from it, the tip glowing blue. “Scan for nonhuman. Traces of some kind of out-of-place tech—”

He took off at a run again and Rey followed with a little laugh. Well, she _was_ curious about the whole affair.

They wove through trees and deer trails, the Doctor’s gaze fixed on his sonic, BB8 bumping through the leaves behind them with the occasional disgruntled beep or whistle about the dangers of trees and forests and everything connected to them. The Doctor skidded to a stop as the forest opened up before them, the trees thinning abruptly.

Black ash blasted across the forest floor, and trees around them were twisted, burned shells. 

A slow grin spread across the Doctor’s face. “Oooh, now we’re _getting_ somewhere.” He dropped to a crouch and ran his finger over the ash, then licked it. He frowned, then shook his head. “Explosion. Some kind of explosion, I’m not sure what the materials are here, but…”

Rey took a step forward, kicking at the ashy leaves. If something had exploded here, there would be traces of it. Surely there would be pieces left…she scanned the clearing, taking in the blackened trees, the charred underbrush, the…

Her eyes fell on something in the center, something small, something not quite natural. She dashed forward and dropped to her knees beside the little square object. A small box, a little bigger than her hand, covered in ash too, but as she swiped her finger across it, it cleared away to reveal some kind of shiny black metal. She turned, reaching to pick it up. “Doctor…”

A rustling in the leaves brought her head around and she jumped to her feet, her hand flying to her lightsaber. A small form emerged from the trees.

“Doctor?” Anne stepped into the clearing. “Rey? Can you come with me?” 


	6. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the chapter where I discovered that I have quite a bit of trouble writing horror…

The Doctor ran forward and dropped to a crouch beside the girl, his face level with hers. “What’s wrong?” 

“It’s Father.” She looked away, biting her lip. “He…he’s worse, and I’m…I’m afraid…”

The Doctor jumped to his feet, shoving the sonic in his pocket. “We’ll take a look, then! Come along—”

Anne looked away. “I—I’m not sure—I’m certain you can help, but…Mother…” 

“Oh, right. The whole ‘witchcraft’ thing.” The Doctor was already starting through the woods, BB8 at his heels. “You people are a bit touchy about that kind of thing, aren’t you? Well, I could give you a very precise explanation of how he works…” He nodded to the little droid. “If you’d like. But it’d probably go way over your head and sound like witchcraft, so maybe that’s a bad idea.”

“Can I touch him?” Anne dropped back a bit, glancing shyly at the little droid from behind Rey. BB8 dipped his head forward and wiggled his antennae with a friendly beep.

Anne giggled and tilted her head to the side. “What is he, then?”

“He’s a—ah, that’s a bit hard to explain.” The Doctor shoved his hands in his pockets. “A bit advanced, science-y, if you will. Somewhat mechanical. Automaton? You have that word yet?” 

“He’s rather cute. And he’s just my height.” She giggled and crouched a bit so her face was level with BB8’s, reaching a hand forward to touch him, just gently. 

He rolled forward and rubbed against her hand like a cat.

She dissolved into giggles and threw her arms around him.

Rey felt a little smile twitching at her lips and she glanced at the Doctor, who was leaning against a tree, his hands in his pockets, grinning. She smiled softly at the little girl. No matter how urgently they were needed at the cottage, she deserved this small moment of pure, undistracted joy. 

Anne stood, still giggling, one hand on BB8’s head. “Let’s go…” She trailed off suddenly and her shoulders slumped. “Let’s…go…”

The Doctor cleared his throat. “Right then. Yeah. Let’s go. Allons-y!” 

Anne started forward, determination in her step, as if she were trying very, very hard not to collapse and cry. She kept one hand on BB8’s head as if he were a puppy whose soft fur could comfort her.

They trailed through the woods, the giggling happiness of a moment before falling away entirely when they reached the clearing, the ramshackle cottage in the corner, smoke drifting from its chimney and trailing out its windows.

Rey skidded to a stop.

Wait.

Smoke?

There hadn’t been smoke before.

Worry clenched at her heart and then she was running forward.

She nearly collided with the woman, who was run-limping out the door, her eyes wild. “Get out, you little wench!” she shrieked, grabbing Rey’s arm in a claw-like grip. “You and your companion have cursed us!” 

Rey stumbled backward, wide-eyed. “What—”

The Doctor skidded past her, nearly pushing both of them out of the way as he dashed into the house. Rey whirled, squirming free of the woman’s frenzied clutch, and flew after him.

Flames crackled around the cot, surrounding the man. 

Rey skidded to a stop, catching herself on the door with a gasp. The flames seemed to emanate from the man himself, licking over his body, his arms and legs twitching like some kind of horrible marionette. The woman limped in, a bucket of water clutched in her hands.

“Get out!” She shoved the Doctor backward so hard he stumbled. “Get out, now, and take your dark arts with you!”

The Doctor’s eyes widened and he started to speak, but she had launched the bucket at the flames before he could get a word out. It hissed and sizzled, blistering his skin and turning to steam, and the man cried out, his voice wavering from human to deep, breathy, and almost flame-like in its essence. He jerked upright, throwing both hands out to his side—and flames shot forth in both directions. 

Rey yelped and stumbled back, trying to look away. Everything in her screamed to _run, run now,_ but she couldn’t take her eyes off the horrible scene in front of her. The man slid his feet over the edge of the cot, flames wavering across him like summer desert-heat, and stood slowly, his head swiveling to meet the terrified gaze of his wife. 

As he stood, his body erupted into flames, and through the almost blinding light, Rey could see the last of his skin and bones withering and burning away, leaving only a human-like form shaped of flames. Flames licked across the floor as he—it?—advanced forward, spewing fire onto the walls and ceiling.

Rey just stared for a long moment. And then—

“Run!” She wasn’t sure if she or the Doctor shouted it first, but they were fleeing wildly out of the house, BB8 letting out a terrified beep and shooting ahead of them across the leaves, Anne picking up her skirts and throwing herself out the door. Rey tumbled into the woods at the far side of the clearing, stumbling to her knees, the Doctor a few steps behind her. Anne nearly skidded into a tree and turned back, gasping.

“Mama…”

The cottage imploded, the roof caving in with a crash, flames shooting toward the sky.

Anne stumbled forward with a little whimper. “Mama…”

The flame-figure emerged from the ruins of the cottage and was across the clearing in a few long strides. Its face was obscured by ever-shifting fire, its eyes empty holes of smoke. Rey grabbed the Doctor by the arm and slipped back farther into the trees.

The creature that had been human strode past them, eyes fixed on the woods ahead, leaving a flaming trail behind it—him—it? It disappeared into the trees, and all was silent but for the crackling of the fire.

Rey was on her feet in an instant. “We’ve got to stop this!” she cried, running forward, taking in the clearing in an instant. There had be a well around here somewhere, the woman had had a bucket. Everything wobbled and she could feel the heat of the flames against her skin. She swept another glance across the clearing, her vision blurring. There. Right behind the ruins of the cottage, that was a well, right? She stumbled forward, running through the flames, catching herself on the edge of the little round stone structure. She started at a noise behind her and turned to see Anne running up, grabbing the bucket and dropping it into the well. A little water splashed over the edge as the girl drew it back up, a few drops hitting Rey’s arm.

It seemed to sizzle against her skin.

The ground seemed to sway beneath her.

“Miss Rey?” Anne tilted her head to the side and looked at her. “Are you alright?”

“I’m…I’m fine…” Rey took a deep breath. “Just…give me a minute…”

Anne set the bucket down and put a hand on her arm. And drew back, eyes wide. “Miss Rey, sit down, please.”

Rey slid down the well until she was sitting, leveling a questioning gaze at the girl. Anne stepped forward and put a hand on her forehead. Her skin was cool against Rey’s, almost icy. It nearly stung.

Anne stumbled backward a few steps, her eyes wide. “Miss Rey…” Her voice was choked. “Miss Rey, you’ve got a fever.” 


	7. Chapter 6

The Doctor skidded to a stop in front of the two girls. “What is it? Rey, what’s wrong?”

“She’s got a fever!” Anne jumped to her feet. “Doctor, she’s got a…”

His gaze darkened and he dropped to a crouch in front of Rey, reaching to put a hand on her forehead, looking into her eyes. She wasn’t sure why, but something made her draw away from the eye contact, from the searching concern in those dark eyes. His hand against her forehead was cool, almost cold, and he drew back, jumping to his feet.

“I’m going after him,” he said, turning away, his coat whipping behind him. “Rey, stay here, I don’t want you anywhere near whatever’s caused this.”

Rey jumped to her feet, catching herself on the edge of the well. “No! I’m going with you, and you can’t—”

A tug on her sleeve made her glance down. Anne stood there, looking up at her, blue eyes wide. “Miss Rey…” She shook her head. “Miss Rey, please don’t. They could kill you…or worse…”

Rey swallowed hard. She saw the memory of the collapsing cottage, the man’s horrible conversion flashing through the little girl’s eyes. 

“You can come with me,” she said firmly. “But I’m not leaving the Doctor to run off into danger.”

The little girl swallowed, and looked away. “I—I—don’t leave me.” She tugged on Rey’s sleeve again. “Please, d—don’t leave me.”

For a moment, Rey just stood there, staring into those large blue eyes. She looked so small, so scared, so alone, and she knew—oh, she knew, any minute now, it would all hit her and she could break down and cry. She saw fear, fear of seeing her father as a strange fiery creature.

Rey was all Anne had now.

Her resolve softened.

She looked away.

“Alright…alright, I’ll stay.” She glanced back at the Doctor. “But I’m coming after you if you don’t come back, got it? 

* * *

All he had to do was follow the flaming trail.

The Doctor was running by the time he reached the clearing, the flames at his side. He could hear the roaring before he reached the clearing, the flames lighting the trees like a forest fire. He dashed into the clearing and skidded to a stop.

His mouth dropped open.

A ring of flaming figures stood amidst the ash, their forms reaching nearly to the top of the winter trees.

“Oh. Oooh.” A slow grin spread across his face. “Ooh, _now_ we’re getting somewhere.”

Every flaming head turned, hollow eyes of smoke staring straight at him.

He waved. “Hello there. Now, which one of you is Anne’s dad…?”

One of the creatures stepped forward, its legs swishing across the ground but barely seeming to touch the leaves. **“Who dares invade our meeting?”** Its voice crackled and whooshed like fire.

“Oh, I’m the Doctor.” He stuffed his hands in his pockets and lounged against the nearest tree. “Just a bystander. Carry on!”

 **“Leave us.”** The creature spoke. **“Leave us, or you will die.”**

“Oh, you’ll find I’m not that easy to kill. Also, pretty sure your little fever thing won’t work on me, because if it did, I’d already have it.” He pressed his hand to his own forehead. “And I feel pretty normal to me, so good luck.”

The figure tilted its head to the side and stared at the Doctor for a long moment, heat rippling off it like waves. **“You are not human.”**

“Nope. Time Lord, actually, last of ‘em.” He offered the creature a half grin. “You?”

**“Leave us.”**

“Nope, not planning on it, sorry. You all decide to dogpile me with your flaming selves and I’ll just regenerate. Ooh, how about a little ‘which is stronger’ contest? Regeneration energy or fire?”

**“You speak nonsense. No one can survive our flame.”**

“Yeah, you might want to test that hypothesis on…” He glanced around at the nearly-identical figures. “Which one of you was Anne’s dad again? Apparently he survived pretty well. In fact, it seems like he survived more than well. Got a little bit of an upgrade, hmm?”

**“He is no more. We are one.”**

“Oh, you’re gonna do the whole ‘we are one’ thing, eh? Now that’s just a _bit_ overdramatic, and seems a little inaccurate if you ask me. Obviously you have separate centers of consciousness, since only one of you is currently speaking.”

The creature glided backward, and ring of flaming forms converged forward, flames merging with flames until he could hardly tell where one stopped and the other began. With one roaring, crackling voice that seemed to echo through the whole forest, they shouted,

**“We are one!”**

The Doctor backed away from the blistering heat, holding up a hand. “Whoa, whoa, whoa, you didn’t need to set the whole place on fire just to prove it! I believe you, now turn it down a little, will you?”

The mass of creatures moved forward—or was it just one creature? That really was a fascinating thought there, if they were all one creature, simply split off into different pieces and centers of consciousness, but how would the whole ‘converting humans’ thing fit into that?—searing the ground beneath it. He darted a few steps backward.

“Now, all I need is a few answers here. The whole fever thing is clear enough—you’re converting humans for some reason. I’ll warn you on that one, it doesn’t ever end well. There’s always some kind of weird side effect. Sometimes they revert. Thought hearing his daughter’s name might do that for _Anne’s dad…_ ” he put a subtle emphasis on the word, “but apparently not. Anyway, what I want to know is this.” He darted backward as the creatures approached again. “Why does the fever only strike healthy people?” He stopped. “Wait. Wait, saying that out loud, it becomes more obvious. You only want the best specimens of humanity, because others…what? Result in flawed conversions? Don’t survive the conversion? But if they didn’t survive the conversion…”

**“It has been programmed.”**

“Ohh, I get it. You experimented, found out the disabled and sick and old didn’t survive, so you just fine-tuned it so it didn’t strike them. And somehow you’ve made it contagious…” He froze, his eyes widening as the realization of what he’d just said hit him. “Oh. Oooh. That’s not good. That’s not good at all.”

 **“We will spread throughout the planet!”** The voice roared over the trees. **“The more the humans flee, the more it will spread! We will have servants and food!”**

“Wait wait _wait._ If you’re saying what I think you’re saying…” He dodged a tree and continued to back down the fiery trail, glancing behind him every few seconds so he didn’t slam into a tree. “And the whole town dispersed, fled, anyone could have the fever incubating in them…ooh, that’s bad, that’s very bad…”

 **“We have begun the spread.”** The mass of fire leaped into the sky. **“And it will not be stopped. It cannot be stopped.”**


	8. Chapter 7

“Okay okay okay, so lemme get this straight.” The Doctor danced around the edges of the clump of creatures, edging toward the clearing again. He needed to get a better look at the desolation back there. “You came here…sometime…how _did_ you get here, anyway? That back there seems like some kind of crash, and you’re obviously not from here, considering Earth doesn’t usually have walking, talking bonfires.” He took a few steps backward, tilting his head to the side. “Somebody said beginning of winter? What month is it, anyway?” 

**“Stop your meaningless chatter.”** The flames morphed into one form, empty smoke-filled eyes staring at him, pushing him backward. **“Your words mean nothing. This world is ours.”**

“Yeah, yeah, got the message.” He waved his hand. “Not that I believe you, of course. You have no idea who I am, do you?”

**“You are the Doctor. You said so yourself.”**

“But you haven’t heard of the Doctor? Ooh, you must be from really far away. How’d you end up here, anyway?” He glanced over his shoulder. The clearing was just behind him now. “Earth, specifically? Just a random crash, or…”

 **“Fire.”** The voice seemed almost hungry. **“This world is fire. This world is life.”**

“Wait.” He skidded to a stop, sending ash flying around his feet. “Wait wait _wait._ This world is…oh. Ooooh.” He snapped his fingers, a grin breaking across his face. “This world is fire this world is life. Fire…life…that’s it! You’re here because of the oxygen, aren’t you?” He glanced around the clearing. Whatever had happened here had obliterated all signs of the event itself. He was guessing some kind of spaceship crash… “Oh that’s genius, that is. You’ve found yourself a planet that feeds you just by existing. And ooh…feed…the trees! That’s what happened to those trees!” He paced toward the center of the clearing, keeping the crackling bonfire at the edge of his vision. “You feed on wood and oxygen, this planet’s perfect for you. So, I think I can…” He froze, staring at the center of the clearing. Something sparkled in the thin sunlight, something…

He dashed forward and dropped to a crouch, whipping his sonic out. A small, perfectly square box dusted with ash lay nestled among the ruin. He glanced back at the bonfire, whose crackling seemed especially angry now, and gave it a quick scan. He took in the results with a glance—and his eyebrows shot up and he jumped to his feet.

“Alright, I’ve just discovered something very, very important, so listen here!” He faced the creatures, his hands stuffed in his pockets, one eyebrow raised. “That right there is your master gene, so that tells me you can use it to control the fever. Now, I think I can make you a deal here. You withdraw the fever and I’ll find you an empty planet that’s sizzling with oxygen and forests. A planet you can call your own. I’ve got a ship that can hold anything, and I can take you anywhere. Do we have a deal?”

The fire separated, different forms emerging, ten voices speaking at once. **“This planet is life. Food. Servants. It is ours to rule.”**

“Oh, so that’s how you’re going to be, is it? You want to rule over the poor, sick humans you can’t convert, don’t you? Alright, you have one chance.” His tone darkened slightly and he stood, his coat fluttering behind him, facing the creatures that were swiftly spreading to surround him. “One chance, or I wipe you from the face of the Earth. So I’m giving you a choice. Accept my deal, or you’ll have to face me. So what’s it gonna be?”

 **“You think you can defeat us?”** Laughter rippled through the forms, and they advanced closer, heat rippling across his skin. **“We are fire, and you are nothing but a tiny humanoid!”**

“Oh, you’re gonna challenge me, then?” He raised an eyebrow. “Well, I accept. Ten of you vs. one of me.” A dark smirk curled around his lips. “Sounds fun.”

 **“Eleven. And more to come.”** The creatures advanced closer and the Doctor dodged to the side as they converged on the little black box, merging and swirling upward. **“Release the fever. Speed up the conversions.”** The voice echoed through the forest. **“All of them.”**


	9. Chapter 8

Rey leaned back against the well, her knees drawn up to her chest, her eyes closed. Everything in her screamed to go after the Doctor, that he could be in danger and he needed her, but when she had tried to stand, the world had swayed a little and somehow she had found herself sitting back down, Anne standing over her. An odd, warm sensation tingled beneath her skin, almost stinging. Not quite painful, but—almost.

She had taken off her hoodie and pulled her hair away from her neck, but it didn’t quite help. Odd, how a few hours ago had thought it was cold here. It was warm, almost as warm as midday desert sun…

Anne hovered beside her, her face pinched with worry. She had tried to give Rey her shawl, but Rey had refused. This seemed to worry her more, and she had wandered away absently toward the cottage, but turned back when she saw the burning remains, finally sitting beside Rey, after she had insisted the girl rest and stop her constant pacing. 

“Are you sure you don’t want my shawl?” Her voice wavered slightly and she glanced at Rey, then looked away. “It’s awfully cold…”

“No really, I’m fine. It’s…warm.”

She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block the images that flashed through her mind. Touching the man’s forehead, his skin sizzling like heated metal against her fingers. Flames bursting from—flames—

A small sob pulled her from her reverie and she looked up to see the little girl sitting beside her, her head in her hands, her shoulders shaking beneath her shawl.

“Hey…” Rey reached out and laid a hand on her arm. “I’m here. The Doctor’s here. You’ll be fine. You’ll be _safe._ ”

She looked up, her face pale, her large blue eyes haunted and glistening with tears. She choked back another sob, burying her head in her hands again. 

BB8 rolled up and bumped her on the arm.

She glanced up and sobbed even harder.

BB8 drew back with a sad beep.

Rey reached forward to pull her into a hug, but the girl drew back, fear swirling dark in her eyes. “No! Don’t—” She choked on the words. “Don’t—you—”

The words stabbed like a knife in Rey’s heart. Anne didn’t want Rey to touch her. She had _the fever._ She didn’t want to die.

She heard again the old woman’s voice, echoing through the empty streets. _You’ll die._ The crazed fear in her eyes as she grabbed Rey’s arm. _Leave now, or you’ll die._

She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to banish the warmth beneath her skin. As if she could simply push it away with her thoughts.

She opened her eyes, staring at her hands for a long moment. They felt odd. Looked odd. She moved her fingers. Her vision blurred slightly and she felt as if she were watching something control her movements—something outside of herself. As if she wasn’t real, wasn’t corporeal.

She shook her head, forcing her eyes to focus. She had to stop thinking like this. She wasn’t going to take this lying down. If some strange fever-possession-thing was trying to overpower her, she’d fight it with everything she had in her. 

She took a deep breath, closing her eyes and focusing. Trying not to think about anything but moving forward. Trying not to remember touching the man’s forehead, and pulling back, her fingers sizzling…she could still feel it, the heat against her fingers, nearly burning her—

Her eyes popped open. She stared at her hands, clenching her fists and unclenching them, and clenching them again until her nails dug into her palm. Her skin felt raw, like it was burning and withering away beneath her fingers—

Heat blasted through her chest.

She doubled over, unable even to scream. Every breath sent burning fire through her throat. She reached blindly behind her, grasping for something, anything to relieve the white-hot pain that burned away the insides of her veins and sizzled through her skin—

The Doctor burst into the clearing and skidded to a stop in front of her, grabbing her around the waist and dragging her to her feet before she could even protest. “Rey! Rey, are you—” Putting a hand beneath her chin, he tilted her face upward and stared into her eyes for a long moment, his eyes dark.

Horror blossomed across his face and he pulled back, his eyes widening. “Rey—”

Panic rose in her chest and she choked on her words. “Doctor—what’s—”

“Your eyes, they’re—” He motioned vaguely to her face. “They’re speeding up the conversion, but I’m going to fix this, I promise—” 

His eyes widened and he stepped back, letting her go. She stumbled forward and nearly slammed into him as white-hot fire washed across her arm and side. She struggled to breathe and black spun in her vision.

“I’m sorry!” The small voice cut through the haze and she turned a pain-fogged gaze toward it, forcing her eyes to focus. Anne stood to her side, an empty bucket of water in her hand. “I thought it would help!”

Slowly, slowly, the pain faded, and Rey could breathe again. She followed Anne’s gaze and saw water dripping down her arm, her side. She frowned. What had the little girl done? Had she—

The Doctor was staring at Anne, his eyes wide and his mouth open slightly. Slowly, Rey saw something spark in his eyes, something like an idea, an almost crazy grin spreading across his face. “Water!” The word burst out so loud Rey started. “That’s it, of course! I’m an idiot! Water!” He dashed toward the well, leaving Rey to stumble and steady herself, the world swaying and blurring. She heard a splash and turned to see him drawing up a bucket from the well. He took off toward the forest with a grin, water splashing over the edge of the bucket.

Skidding to a stop at the edge of the clearing, he turned. “I’m going to fix this!” he cried before dashing off into the trees again. 


	10. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ten is such a crazy mad scientist I love him

The Doctor dashed down the smoldering trail, the bucket of water sloshing in his hands. Following the now-dying flames, his steps crunching on the ash-burned leaves, he skidded into the clearing again.

It was empty. And the small black box sat directly in the center.

He edged forward, glancing around. Oh, this was perfect. They had all run off somewhere and here was the master gene, here for the taking. Shifting the bucket to one hand, he was across the clearing in a few strides, reaching for the box.

Fire roared through the trees and rushed toward him. With a wild flail, he jumped back, bringing the bucket around and launching the water at the creature.

The creature screamed.

The water seemed to eat away at its body, the flames sizzling out with a hiss of smoke wherever the water touched them, growing smaller, smaller, smaller as it writhed on the forest floor. With the hiss of dying flames and one last roaring scream, it went out, leaving a pile of ash at the Doctor’s feet.

The Doctor took a slow step backward, eyes wide. One bucket, he hadn’t expected to kill the thing. Maybe just…mildly inconvenience it?

He tapped the black spot with his foot. Ash poofed up and sent black dust onto his shoes. 

Had that been Anne’s father?

He bent down and swiped his finger across the ash. That had been a living creature. Which he had just killed.

He closed his eyes for a moment.

He had given them their chance. And they had said no.

He stood, and reached for the black box again. 

Two more flaming forms rushed toward him with crackling, hissing shrieks. He glanced around, grabbed the bucket, and took off at a run through the trees, his steps pounding against the underbrush. He needed another bucket! If he could just get to the stream, back where they’d landed the TARDIS…

Fire roared up from the ground in front of him and he skidded backward, throwing his hands out forward. More fire at his side, and his other side, he turned in a wild circle, skidding to a stop at the realization that he was surrounded by a ring of flames.

He brandished the bucket in front of him like a weapon. “I know your weakness now!” he shouted. “One bucket of water and you’re nothing but a pile of ash!”

An arm reached forward, and flaming fingers wrapped around the bucket in his hands. It went up in flames and ash sprinkled onto his feet, leaving the metal handle empty in his hand.

**“Your bucket is nothing but a pile of ash.”**

“Oh no, this was the only bucket in the entire town, now I can never draw water again!” He held up both hands in fake surrender. “You’ve destroyed me!”

 **“Your sarcasm is unappreciated.”** The flaming ring tightened until he could feel the heat against his skin. **“And you will burn, just like your friend.”**

Flaming arms reached toward him, a ring of empty smoke-filled eyes staring.

He took a deep breath.

Trained his eye on a gap in the flames.

And he ran.

He ducked through the ring of fire, heat searing against his face, the edges of his coat catching fire and trailing flames behind him as he dashed through the woods. The stream. He had to get to the stream. Water. Anywhere near water, and he was safe. His arm throbbed warmly and he winced as he realized he must have burned a hole through his coat and suit jacket.

Shame. He liked that coat.

Water sparkled in front of him and he threw himself toward it, landing face-forward with a splash in the stream.

He jumped to his feet, grinning at the wall of fire that congregated along the bank. “Can’t touch me now, hmm? I’m a walking weapon, soaking wet!” He held out his arms. “Come and get me!”

The fire hissed and crackled.

“Yep. Thought so.” He stepped out on the other side of the stream and shook himself, water droplets flying in all directions. He raked his fingers through his hair, sending it sticking up in a spiky mess. “For such ‘invincible’ creatures you’re awfully scared right now.” Giving his sopping shoes a shake, he started off through the forest again, tossing a grin back over his shoulder. “See you when you figure out how to cross the stream!”

He skidded to a stop just out of sight of the stream. Something niggled at his mind, something like a plan—

Oh, _yes._ Yes, yes, _yes._ A grin spread across his face and he took off at a run back toward Anne’s cottage.

* * *

Running footsteps crashed in the leaves and Rey started and looked up. Through a heat-haze, she could barely see the form, but she knew in a glance it was the Doctor. He skidded to a stop in front of her, the girl, and the droid, and now she could see the grin that split his face.

“Rey! Anne! BB8!” He grabbed Rey by the hand and yanked her to her feet. “Come with me!”

Anne tilted her head to the side. “Where are we going?”

He laughed the almost-crazy laugh that belied some half-formed but probably genius plan. “We’re going to dam up the stream!” 


	11. Chapter 10

Fever raged in Rey’s head like constant static. 

The four of them crunched through the dried, burned leaves, leaving the smoldering cottage behind them. BB8 bumped along behind Rey, occasionally tilting his head up and looking at her with a concerned beep. Her fingers seared into the Doctor’s coat sleeve, which was already singed black in places. Anne pushed ahead of them, making for the stream with the quick efficiency of one who had trod this path many times before.

“So, here’s the plan.” The Doctor glanced at the trees around them as if expecting them to be listening. “We’re going to build a dam. We want to hold it back completely, dry up the stream. So, there’s sticks and stones all around here, surely we can find a downed tree or something and go from there. Rey, you need to rest. BB8 can help me with a schematic, I’ve got the basic idea here but I need details. Anne, you’re a hard worker, you can help me haul things. I think we’ll be able to fill in the gaps with stuff from the TARDIS, I can always find useful stuff in the TARDIS. Anyway, once we’ve got that set up, then comes the hard part.” He glanced around again, stopping for a moment and lowering his voice. “Then—then we steal the master gene.”

Anne turned back and tilted her head to the side. “What’s a master gene?”

“Oh, it’s the thing that controls the fever. Little black box, about this big.” He let go of Rey for a moment to hold his hands about six inches apart. She stumbled a little and he slid an arm around her waist again. “Should still be in the clearing. Anyway, once we’ve got it, we take off toward the stream again. Make as much noise as possible. Yell at them that we’ve stolen their most valuable possession.” He grinned a lopsided grin. “We want them to chase us. Right into the stream. And then—and then we break the dam.” 

Rey managed a slight nod. Smart, really, if they could pull it off.

Ahead of them, sunlight glinted off water and they emerged onto the banks of the stream. Repulsion shuddered through Rey and she pulled back, backing away a few steps before she realized what she was doing. She squeezed her eyes shut and clenched her fists until it hurt. This wasn’t her. This was the fever, some alien presence inside her. She had to resist. She had to.

She steadied herself against a tree. She had to resist. She _could_ resist. It wasn’t her, it was the seeds of an alien being growing inside her. She could eject it, tell it to go die a watery death. The thought brought a quirk of a smile to her face.

The Doctor dashed forward, splashing through the stream. “Alright, I’ve got this worked out! Anne, I’m going to need some logs!”

Anne shrugged off her shawl and scurried into the woods. Rey stared blankly at her, barely seeing the movement. She didn’t realize she was sitting until she felt a stick poking into her leg. She could resist this. She could eject it.

She squeezed her eyes shut and focused. Focused on forcing the alien presence out of her, like she had forced away the creatures of the Revolution. Like she had resisted the lure of the psychic sensors aboard the Mariana. Imagined it as a bubble of consciousness, something she could push away with an invisible shield, pushing outward, away from herself—

Heat seared in her fingers and fire burst from her fingertips. 

She let out a little shriek and her eyes popped open.

The Doctor whirled, his arms full of wood. For a moment, fire streamed from her hands, catching the leaves around her, her breath coming in short gasps as she tried to draw it back. No! No, that wasn’t what she had meant! 

The fire rushed back into her veins and she had to bite her lip to keep from crying out. She collapsed back against the tree, gasping. 

Instead of ejecting it, she had nearly triggered the conversion. 

She struggled to draw a breath and her stomach heaved. Everything shimmered like desert heat waves. Something pricked against her mind, something that wasn’t her. 

She frowned. It felt a little like the planet, a little like the creatures from the Revolution, a little like the being from Falling Star Lane. One presence, separated slightly into many smaller presences, all united in a web of consciousness. She closed her eyes, trying to focus in on the feeling. It tugged at the alien fever within her, sending fire searing through her veins, burning just beneath her skin.

Her eyes popped open with a gasp.

These were the fiery creatures. The creatures that had converted Anne’s father. The creatures that were trying to convert her.

And they had sensed her attempt to resist.

They were coming.

“They’re coming—” She managed to gasp out the words as the presence grew stronger, the heat rose hotter beneath her skin. “Doctor, they’re—”

Crackling flames roared through the trees and a wall of fire emerged, sweeping through the forest as if it were nothing but air. A voice roared through the woods and Rey could feel it roaring in her head as well, like a double echo.

 **“You can never defeat us!”** The creatures swept toward the Doctor and he sidestepped and darted backward, splashing into the stream.

He grinned. “Can’t touch me now, can you?”

Anger from the shared presence pricked at Rey’s mind and she forced it back. It wasn’t her. It wasn’t her. 

A form separated itself from the fiery mass and stepped forward, holding a small black box in its flaming hands. Rey frowned, staring. It was the same box she had seen in the clearing. Was this the master gene?

She had stood and was walking forward before she could stop herself. The flames licked around the box, never touching it, ever-shifting. She reached forward, longing to touch them, longing to see what it looked like inside the jewel-like orange…

 **“You will never defeat us.”** The voices combined together in a roaring, whooshing laugh. **“We will kill your friend. See how she is already moving to join our ranks.”** Its fingers moved, washing across the box. **“One move, and we can complete the conversion.”** It paused and Rey felt sudden, crushing disappointment washing over her. She stumbled forward, drawn by the flickering orange. They never had candles or fires on Jakku, just harsh electric light and summer sun. She stared into the depths of the creature’s fiery body, trying to find its center, its being…

 **“Make your choice, Doctor.”** Her lips parted and she found herself speaking along with them. **“Give us the planet, and your friend lives. Continue resisting, and she dies.”**


	12. Chapter 11

A long pause hung over the clearing like a tangible thing. The creature swished forward, loud in the heavy silence, the Doctor staring, the horror of realization washing across his face, Anne standing frozen, logs in her arms. Rey moved forward, slowly. Why was the Doctor so afraid? It would only be a moment, the conversion, and then…

With a shout, the Doctor ducked, filled his bucket with water, and charged.

The flurry of noise and motion snapped Rey from her trance and she shook her head. What was she doing? She didn’t _want_ them to convert her! She forced her hand to her lightsaber, glancing at the Doctor just as he flung the water in the direction of the nearest creature.

It turned and fled into the forest, leaving a flaming trail.

A grin spread across the Doctor’s face. “Anne—Rey—grab a bucket of water each and _run!_ ” He darted back to the stream and refilled his bucket, and he was off again in an instant, dashing off into the trees, water splashing onto his feet as he ran.

Rey drew her lightsaber.

She couldn’t touch the water. But perhaps there were other ways to incapacitate them.

She took a deep breath and started through the woods, holding the hilt unignited in her hand. She couldn’t seem to push herself to a run, and her breath came in short gasps as she pushed herself forward, one step and then another. The crackling and whooshing of fire urged her forward, drawing her by some force that seemed to spur her faster, faster, until she was finally running.

She gripped the lightsaber and forced herself to a stop. They were pulling her. She couldn’t give in.

The Doctor shouted something indistinct, clouded by the static in her head, and she heard a crackling scream, a sizzle, and another shout. She skidded forward into a small clearing, flames spreading up the trees and through the underbrush.

She drew her lightsaber and rushed at them, forcing back their mental urges with every step. She slammed the blade into the nearest flame, nearly falling forward as it passed through the creature like a ghost. She should have known! She should have known she couldn’t defeat fire with a flaming sword. She shut off the blade and stepped back, regrouping. She could either run, or—

The creature took one giant step and was upon her in an instant.

She ducked forward, rolling through the flames. Heat seared across her skin and she fell to her knees with a gasping cry, squeezing her eyes shut and banishing the pain. A growl sounded behind her and she slammed her finger into the button of the lightsaber and jumped to her feet again, whirling to face the leader of the creatures—the leader, holding the small black box in its flaming fingers.

The master gene.

Wasn’t that what the Doctor had said?

She gripped the lightsaber, the blade sizzling at her side. The thought hit her in an instant of pure instinct. If she destroyed the box…that would mean the conversion couldn’t be completed, right? 

She shouted and slashed forward with her lightsaber.

* * *

The Doctor skidded and turned at Rey’s cry. She stood facing the fire creature, lightsaber in hand. She lunged forward, the lightsaber slashing toward—

No. Oh no, no, no. The master gene. She was about to destroy the master gene. And with it, any hope of reversing the fever. He opened his mouth to cry out, already dashing forward—

The lightsaber collided with the box.

* * *

And it flashed backward as if hitting a barrier, slashing toward Rey’s face. She stumbled backward, redirecting the blade toward the ground before twirling it upward and lunging again. A smoky bubble ballooned around the box, sending the blade ricocheting backwards. 

Laughter emanated from the creature, deep and rumbling, filling the entire clearing and echoing off into the forest. It stepped forward, flaming fingers closing around Rey’s. Flames spread up her arm, drawing her forward as surely as a rope, and she sucked in a sharp breath, her fingers releasing the lightsaber. 

The creature released her. Leaned down. And picked up the lightsaber, lifting it and bringing it forward.

Slowly, slowly, Rey realized what he was doing.

The blade was pointed at her chest.

She took a step backward, and another. She stumbled, her back slamming into a tree. She edged to the side, glancing behind her, but it was on her in an instant, the tip of the blade searing against her heart. 

Something crashed through the leaves. And the creature screamed, dropping the lightsaber and collapsing to the ground in a puddle of writhing, crackling flames. It grew smaller and smaller until it disappeared in a poof of ash, leaving a blackened spot at Rey’s feet.

Anne stood before her, a bucket in her hands. 

The last bit of water left the bucket. And it fell directly onto the black box at her feet. 


	13. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like this entire story has just been me going “WHEE I LOVE WRITING FROM TEN’S POV” lol

The Doctor dashed forward as the water splashed across the master gene. He opened his mouth to shout—no, _no,_ the water would destroy it, and all hope of reversing the fever—he nearly fell forward as he grabbed for the bucket—if he could redirect the water, push the girl out of the way—

A shield ballooned around the box, the water splashing over it like an invisible umbrella and dripping onto the surrounding ground. The bubble disappeared and the Doctor threw both arms out as he skidded to a stop, waving wildly to balance himself, his mouth hanging open.

Oh, that was _genius._

It was programmed to protect itself!

The beginnings of an idea glimmered in his head—it was a wild, impossible idea, but oh, those were the best. Before he could even articulate it to himself, he was dashing forward and nearly falling onto the black box as he reached for it, snatched it up, and took off into the woods again, shouting behind him for Rey and Anne and BB8 to follow, barely noticing whether or not they did. Crackling, whooshing cries followed him and he careened through the trees and skidded around corners, tracing the trail in his head. The creek, it should be—something sparkled between the trees in front of him. There it was. He leaped over the bank and splashed into the stream, nearly falling into the water. 

He righted himself and grinned at the fire creatures. “Come on, then!”

BB8 careened up to the stream and launched himself across the water with a screech, barely landing on the other side, wobbling up the bank with a disgruntled beep. Anne tumbled into the creek beside the Doctor, gasping. She jumped to her feet and glared defiantly at the wall of fire that faced them.

A grin twitched around his lips. “Good girl,” he said, patting her blonde head. “Now—”

He turned, and tossed the box downstream.

It flew through the air in a streak of black, colliding with the water with a splash. The bubble burst out with a whoosh, sending it bouncing upward, hovering just above the water. The Doctor splashed through the water, grabbing it and pushing it down, down, down into the stream until the stream-bed was bare rock, the water held back on either side.

Anne stepped forward but the Doctor waved her back. “Stay right there. In the water.”

Her eyes widened as the fire creatures roared forward as one. “Doctor—”

He held out a hand. “Stay!” he shouted, and Anne froze, hugging her arms around herself. The Doctor shoved the box further into the ground, battering it, kicking water at it, forcing the bubble of protection outward until the creek-bed was bare for a few feet around him. 

The creatures roared towards him, barely-formed threats crackling among the flames, threats of burning him to ash, shouts of how he had cleared the water just for them, and what a fool he was. He could feel their heat singeing his face, but he held still. One moment longer—

He snatched the box back from the water.

The shield retracted and the water rushed back into the gap. 

Hissing and screaming filled the forest as the water ate into their flaming beings, turning them to fluttering ash. Writhing, their legs disappeared first, and then their bodies as they fell forward into the water, and then their heads, their faces—and their screams were cut off.

Black ash floated away down the creek.

And all was silent.

For a moment the Doctor just stood there, holding the black box. Hearing the screams echoing in his head. Anne stood frozen beside him, BB8 on the bank of the creek. Both staring at the ash that floated around them. She reached down, trailing a finger in the water.

Her eyes looked almost blank.

The Doctor’s grip tightened on the box. They would have killed Rey. They would have converted all of humanity, and they would have killed _Rey._

Rey.

Rey!

He jumped out of the stream and was off through the woods again in a flash, trailing water behind him. Where was Rey?! Had she not followed?

“Rey? Rey!” His voice echoed through the trees as he skidded to a stop in the burned clearing. Rey sat against a tree, her eyes closed, her face flushed an unnatural shade of red. Her eyes opened, just slightly, as he approached.

And fire ringed her pupils.

He dashed forward, dropping to his knees beside her. “Rey—just hold on—I’ve got the master gene—”

Before he could touch a single button on the black box, she let out a cry and flames erupted from her hands. 


	14. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing this chapter made me kind of ship Ten and Rey. Halp.

Heat blasted through her, searing through her veins and breaking out at her fingertips, spreading up her arm as flames spread across her body. Before she could stop it, a scream ripped from her and she bent forward, trying to rake in a breath, trying to stop the fire that was burning away her very self, clinging to the small bit of her that was still Rey. Focus. Focus on that—focus—on—

What was she focusing on?

She could feel a tug, like a siren-call to a light in the darkness. The flames licking across her skin seemed to carry her upward, pulling her toward an end to the pain. Already it was almost muted, only a flicker of the searing heat of a moment before. She drew in a deep breath, and let it out. She was almost there. It was almost over, the pain of conversion, and then she would never feel human pain again.

Rey fought back.

That small part of her that was still Rey. It tugged at her mind, pulling her back to the clearing in the woods. No. No. She had to _fight._ She could still resist it, if she just—

She could feel every flame again and she doubled over with a cry, trying to draw in a breath. Maybe it wasn’t worth it. She would die anyway—

Light blasted across her vision. 

The heat retracted, flames withering away at her fingertips. Her skin stung, like the bucket of water Anne had dumped on her. 

She drew in a gasping breath. What had happened? Was she free? Was she—

She tried to move, tried to look around.

Blackness closed in on her.

* * *

“Rey—Rey!” The black box tumbled to the forest floor and the Doctor ran forward, dropping to his knees in front of her. Her hands were red and blistered, and raw burns spread up her arms. He saw burns across her torso where fabric had burned away. Her eyes were closed, her breathing shallow.

He had reversed it. She was alive. He pressed a hand to her forehead. No fever.

No fever.

He slid his arms around her, pulling her to his chest. She was dead weight against him, but she was alive. He could feel the rise and fall of her chest, the beating of her heart. Her breath left clouds in the winter air. 

She was alive.

Gently, he scooped her up in his arms and started back to the TARDIS.

* * *

They had dropped little Anne off at her uncle’s home.

The Doctor had asked, and Rey had asked. But she had said no, she couldn’t travel with them, she wasn’t sure she could bear it. There had been a haunted look in her eyes as she spoke, a look of too-fresh memory. Her father’s death, the collapse of her home, her mother’s last scream. 

And she hadn’t set foot past the doorway of the TARDIS, barely moving aside when the Doctor closed the door behind her.

Rey couldn’t say she blamed her. In a world where they didn’t even have droids, this must seem like a strange dream.

Her uncle had seemed kind enough, and for that Rey was glad. He had put an arm around her thin shoulders, leading her into his little cottage with a smile.

And they had stepped back into the TARDIS, and taken off again. 

Rey leaned against the console, her bandaged hands in her pockets. The Doctor had spread salve on her hands and arms and across her torso, and Anne had helped her bandage the burns, with a somewhat confused remark or two about how for being a Doctor, he had awfully little knowledge about how to properly treat wounds. She felt rather like some kind of preserved corpse, and she hoped the Doctor could manage to stay out of trouble for a bit.

The click of a lever brought her back to reality and she turned. The Doctor stood across the console, his hands flying across levers and buttons. She watched carefully. Someday, someday, she would figure out how this all worked.

He pushed one last button and leaned back against the console, arms crossed, one eyebrow raised. 

“So. What do you say to a nice, relaxing trip?” He gave her a half-grin. “I think you deserve it.” 

* * *

_The End_

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so that's the last of my FFN reposts. I'm currently working on #8 in this series and will be posting it probably next month.


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